thatch

UK: /θætʃ/ US: /θætʃ/ ,(thach)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

thatch /θætʃ/   n. [uncountable]

1. Also, ˈthatch•ing. a material, as straw, used to cover roofs.
2. a covering made of such a material.

v. [~ + object]

3. to cover with or as if with thatch.

thatched, adj.: 

a thatched roof.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

thatch  (thach), n. 

1. Also, thatching. a material, as straw, rushes, leaves, or the like, used to cover roofs, grain stacks, etc.
2. a covering of such a material.
3. the leaves of various palms that are used for thatching.
4. something resembling thatch on a roof, esp. thick hair covering the head:
   a thatch of unruly red hair.
5. Botany [Hort.] a tightly bound layer of dead grass, including leaves, stems, and roots, that builds up on the soil surface at the base of the living grass of a lawn.

v.t. 

6. to cover with or as if with thatch.
7. Botany [Hort.] to remove thatch from (a lawn);
   dethatch.

• bef. 900; (verb, verbal) Middle English thacchen, variant (with a from thak dialect, dialectal thack) of thecchen, Old English theccan to cover, hide; cognate with Dutch dekken (see deck), German decken, Old Norse thekja; (noun, nominal) Middle English thacche, variant (with ch from the verb, verbal) of thak

thatch′less, adj. 
thatch′y, adj. 

Thatch  (thach), n. 

1. Biographical Edward. See Teach, Edward. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

thatch / θætʃ/ noun

1. Also called: thatching a roofing material that consists of straw, reed, etc
2. a roof made of such a material
3. anything resembling this, such as the hair of the head
4. Also called: thatch palm any of various palms with leaves suitable for thatching

verb

1. to cover (a roof) with thatch

Etymology: Old English theccan to cover; related to thæc roof, Old Saxon thekkian to thatch, Old High German decchen, Old Norse thekja

ˈthatcher noun